ADDRESS 


JTJL/Y  p,  IBS  6 


I writing  anb  fabor. 

library 


# 


Universityof  Illinois.  f 

CLASS.  BOOK.  VOLUME.  f 

310  NW*p\  | 

' # 

Accession  No. j| 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/addressofhenryrpOOpier 


ADDRESS 


OF 

HENRY  R.  PIERSON, 

CHANCELLOR  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY 


OF  THE 


STATE  OF  NEW  YORK, 


AT  THE 


OPENING  OF  THE  24TH  ANNUAL  CONVOCATION,  JULY  6,  1886. 


ALBANY: 

WEED,  PARSONS  AND  COMPANY.  PRINTERS. 

1886. 


ADDRESS. 


Members  of  the  University  Convocation  : 

As  the  official  head  of  the  University  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  I bid  you  cordial  welcome  to  this  our 
twenty-fourth  anniversary. 

You  will  miss  the  presence  of  Dr.  Murray,  the  dis- 
tinguished Secretary  of  the  board,  who  has  been  com- 
pelled to  seek  rest,  by  reason  of  impaired  health,  and 
you  will  mourn  with  me  the  absence  of  the  late  cour- 
teous and  scholarly  Vice-Chancellor,  Judge  Clinton, 
who  died  soon  after  our  last  convocation.  There  are 
others  also  whose  goodness  and  wisdom  will  make 
conspicuous  their  absence  and  to  whom  appropriate 
reference  will  be  made  in  the  course  of  our  exer- 
cises. 

The  executive  committee,  whose  duty  it  is  to  pre- 
pare the  programme  for  the  convocation,  have  admir- 
ably performed  the  task  assigned  them  and  will  an- 
nounce to  you  through  their  chairman,  Dr.  Bradley, 
the  topics  to  be  considered  by  the  eminent  persons 
selected  to  lead  the  discussions. 


4 


The  University  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

We  meet  to  day  as  the  University  of  the  State  of 
New  York,  in  the  fullness  of  manly  vigor,  with  the 
ripe  experience  of  many  years  of  faithful  labor  to  aid 
us,  and  conscious  pride  at  the  magnificent  results  of 
our  work  in  the  field  of  education  to  stimulate  us  to 
renewed  exertion.  For  more  than  a century  the  uni- 
versity has  existed,  and  its  records  testify  to  the  dig- 
nity of  its  purpose,  the  liberality  of  its  plan,  and  to 
the  distinguished  men  who  have  composed  its  mem- 
bers and  officers,  men  whose  official  integrity  has 
never  been  questioned.  For  nearly  a quarter  of  that 
period  this  convocation  has  existed. 

Need  I then  doubt  that  you  have  heard,  but  with 
astonishment  and  regret  that  since  our  last  convoca- 
tion the  propriety  of  continuing  the  university  has 
been  called  in  question  ? 

His  excellency,  the  Governor  of  the  State,  in  his 
annual  message  to  the  Legislature,  recommended 
that  it  and  the  Board  of  Regents  be  abolished,  be- 
cause the  University  of  the  State  of  New  York  had 
no  existence  in  fact  and  the  Board  of  Regents  was 
a useless  body. 

I do  not  quote  all  that  the  Governor  says  upon  the 
subject,  but  the  points  stated  fairly  present  his  con- 
clusions. I have  great  respect  for  Governor  Hill. 
His  industry,  his  fidelity  to  his  convictions,  his  pos- 


5 


itive  force  both  in  public  and  private  life  at  once 
distinguish  him  as  a man  of  mark.  I cannot  but 
believe  that  some  evil-minded  or  ill-advised  person 
has  misinformed  the  Governor  as  to  some  of  the  alle- 
gations of  his  indictment.  Certainly,  he  is  in  error, 
and  I believe  he  would  not  state  an  error  if  he  knew 
it  to  be  such. 

♦ The  University. 

To  prove  the  real  existence  and  utility  of  our 
university  let  us  consider  what  is  a university? 

It  is  not  a college.  It  is  not  so  much  an  institution 
of  learning  as  it  is  the  center — the  representative  or 
governor  of  several  institutions  of  learning.  It  may 
be  a cluster  of  colleges,  and  different  educational  in- 
stitutions each  complete  in  itself,  both  as  to  course  of 
study  and  general  regulations. 

The  very  name  University  would  indicate  a center 
to  which  all  turned — itself  universal  in  the  adminis- 
tration, in  the  union  of  teachers  and  scholars.  If  of 
Historic  colleges,  it  is  the  highest,  the  consumma- 
tion and  center  ; if  of  the  State,  the  conservator  of 
its  educational  system,  and  made  to  stimulate  the 
best  and  highest  learning  ; if  Ecclesiastical,  the  dis- 
penser of  all  the  learning  in  the  church  ; if  private, 
the  broadest  plant,  and  the  most  generous  endow- 
ment for  all  teaching,  in  all  the  departments  of  human 
learning. 


6 


President  Gilman  of  the  Johns  Hopkins  University 
says  : “ It  is  the  business  of  universities  not  only  to 
perpetuate  the  records  of  culture,  but  to  bring  them 
out  in  modern,  timely,  and  intelligible  interpretation, 
so  that  all  may  know  the  laws  of  human  progress, 
the  dangers  which  imperil  society,  and  the  conditions 
of  advancing  civilization.” 

Cambridge  University. 

For  illustrations,  take  the  three  distinguished  uni- 
versities of  England  — Cambridge,  Oxford,  and 
London — from  which  our  own  university  may  have 
been  patterned.  Let  me  quote  for  you  a few 
thoughts  and  facts  regarding  them  taken  quite  lit- 
erally from  the  Cyclopaedia  of  Education.  Cam- 
bridge University  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  fa- 
mous universities  in  England.  It  began  its  new  era 
in  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  under  the  title  of 
the  “Chancellors,  Masters  and  Scholars  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Cambridge  ” 

The  university  is  a federal  republic  of  seventeen 
colleges,  or  eighteen  with  Cavendish  college.  Each 
college  has  its  own  statutes,  but  is  subject  to  uni- 
versity law. 

The  legislative  and  executive  bodies  of  the  uni- 
versity are  composed  of  members  of  the  colleges. 
The  executive  consists  of  the  Chancellor,  the  Vice- 
Chancellor,  the  high  steward,  the  commissary,  the 


7 


librarian,  etc.  In  1858,  besides  the  examinations 
held  at  the  college,  the  university  held  local  exami- 
nations conducted  at  various  places.  The  university 
is  a body  which  holds  public  examinations  and  confers 
degrees,  the  professors  lecture,  but  can  hardly  be  said 
to  teach.  The  university  buildings  are  numerous, 
including  the  Senate  house,  adjoining  which  is  the 
library  rich  in  four  thousand  manuscripts  and  con- 
taining half  a million  of  volumes,  the  geological  mu- 
seum, and  other  museum  and  society  buildings. 

Oxford  University. 

Oxford  University,  sharing  with  Cambridge  the 
pride  of  all  England,  claims  to  date  from  A.  D.  872. 
In  considering  the  actual  state  and  working  of  this 
university,  we  must  carefully  distinguish  between  it 
and  the  colleges.  The  latter  are  corporate  bodies 
consisting  of  fellows  and  scholars,  possessing  prop- 
erty and  a building — the  college  proper. 

The  university,  while  technically  described  as  con- 
sisting of  the  “Chancellors,  Masters  and  Scholars,” 
consists  practically  of  certain  fellows  and  heads  of 
colleges,  who  fill  public  posts  and  administer  public 
trusts.  Within  their  own  walls  the  members  of  a 
college  are  independent.  The  university  enforces 
public  order,  offers  scholarships,  gives  prizes,  awards 
honors,  has  charge  of  public  examinations,  appoints 
examiners,  and  regulates  the  standard  of  knowledge 


8 


for  university  degrees,  which  the  Vice-Chancellor 
confers.  It  has  twenty  colleges  and  four  halls. 
Of  the  university  officers,  it  will  be  sufficient  to 
mention  the  Chancellor,  the  High  Steward,  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  and  the  Proctor.  The  first  was,  in  old 
times,  the  ruling  head  of  the  university.  He  was  the 
nominee  of  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  and  the  guardian 
of  his  rights  and  privileges.  * * * At  present 

he  is  little  more  than  an  ornamental  appendage,  the 
practical  duties  of  his  office  being  discharged  by  the 
Vice-Chancellor.  * * * He  is  the  resident  head 

of  the  university.  The  university  buildings  are 
many  and  valuable  : the  Sheldonian  Theater,  where 
commencements  are  held  and  degrees  conferred ; the 
Bodleian  Library,  one  of  the  largest  in  England;  the 
Taylorian  Institute,  containing  a picture  gallery,  etc., 
etc.  The  revenues  of  colleges  and  university  together 
amount  to  ^420,000  annually. 

London  University. 

London  University  was  erected  by  royal  charter, 
November  28,  1836,  and  there  is  this  capital  differ- 
ence between  this  university  and  those  of  Cambridge 
and  Oxford  : in  the  University  of  London,  the  col- 
leges, instead  of  being  all  in  one  locality,  are  scat- 
tered over  the  country,  some  of  them  situated  even 
in  distant  colonies,  and  these  are  called  affiliated 


9 


institutions.  The  examinations,  held  by  this  univer- 
sity for  the  purpose  of  showing  who  is  entitled  to 
degrees,  have  always  been  of  the  highest  order,  and 
in  1867  a supplemental  charter  was  obtained  convey- 
ing the  right  to  hold  examinations  for  women. 

Such  is  a brief  description  of  the  three  great, 
living,  successful  and  proudly  esteemed  universities 
of  England.  How  do  the  structure,  appointments, 
duties,  responsibilities,  methods,  university  institu- 
tions, museums,  libraries,  etc.,  etc.,  so  far  as  they  go, 
compare  with  our  own  University  of  the  State  of  New 
York  in  session  here,  and  what  has  been  our  history 
and  the  work  we  have  accomplished  ? 

They  are  the  growth  of  centuries  — we  have  the 
growth  of  an  hundred  years,  beginning  with  the 
birth  of  the  State  ; growing,  as  it  has  grown,  with 
the  people  and  from  the  people  ; always  foremost  in 
educational  work ; never  meddling,  always  sustain- 
ing ; and  what  have  we  accomplished  ? 

The  Board  of  Regents. 

At  the  establishment  of  our  State  government  we 
had  one  feeble  college,  King’s  College,  established 
by  royal  charter,  October  31,  1754.  Its  functions 
were  suspended  during  the  War  of  Independence 
and  its  buildings  were  used  as  a hospital.  From  the 
founding  of  the  college  till  the  closing  of  the  colonial 
period  little  was  done  in  behalf  of  public  education. 


10 


Immediately  after  the  revolution  the  number  of  the 
governors  of  King’s  College  being  so  lessened  by  death 
and  absence  as  to  require  the  interposition  of  the  Leg- 
islature, an  act  was  passed  in  1 784,  investing  a new  in 
corporation  under  the  title  of  the  Regents  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  the  State  of  New  York,  with  all  the  rights, 
franchises  and  privileges  vested  in  the  governors  of 
the  college  by  its  charter,  and  changing  the  name  of 
the  college  to  Columbia  College.  This  act  required 
that  all  the  estate,  real  and  personal,  held  by  King’s 
College  by  virtue  of  its  charter,  should  be  applied 
solely  to  the  use  of  Columbia  College,  and  the  same  act 
empowered  the  Regents  to  hold  additional  estate  for 
the  use  of  said  college,  and  for  the  further  promo- 
tion of  learning,  to  hold  other  estate,  real  and  per- 
sonal ; also  to  found  schools  and  colleges  in  any  part 
of  the  State,  which  colleges,  properly  founded,  should 
be  considered  as  composing  a part  of  the  said  uni- 
versity. 

In  the  first  effort  to  establish  a university,  it  does 
not  seem  very  strange  that  instead  of  a complete 
university,  it  revived  a feeble  college  under  a new 
name.  No  sooner  was  this  and  some  other  kindred 
errors  discovered  than  the  law  establishing  the  Uni- 
versity of  the  State  was  amended,  and  as  amended, 
with  slight  changes,  it  still  remains.  The  amendment 
was  the  act  passed  in  1787,  declaring  that  an  uni- 


11 


versity  be  and  is  hereby  instituted  within  this  State, 
to  be  called  and  known  by  the  name  and  style  of  the 
University  of  the  State  of  New  York.  This  act  re- 
duced the  number  of  Regents,  remanded  Columbia 
college  and  all  its  estates  to  a board  of  trustees  of 
its  own,  continued  the  power  to  hold  property,  granted 
the  authority  to  incorporate  colleges,  made  provision 
for  the  incorporation  of  academies,  and  placed  both 
academies  and  colleges  under  the  general  supervision 
of  the  Regents. 

In  this  year  and  subsequent  to  the  passage  of  this 
act  the  first  two  academies  were  incorporated,  Clin- 
ton Academy  at  East  Hampton,  and  Erasmus  Hall  at 
Flatbush. 

In  1793  the  Regents,  in  their  report,  recommended 
the  establishment  of  a general  system  of  common 
schools. 

In  1797,  Governor  George  Clinton,  who  was  also 
at  that  time  the  first  Chancellor  of  the  University,  in 
his  message  to  the  legislature,  urged  the  establishment 
of  common  schools  throughout  the  State,  and  on  the 
9th  of  April  in  the  same  year  a law  was  passed  for 
the  purpose  of  encouraging  and  maintaining  such 
schools. 

It  was  also  due  to  the  repeated  appeals  of  the  Re- 
gents of  the  University  that  the  importance  of  en- 
couraging literature  by  the  aid  of  State  funds  was 


impressed  upon  the  Legislature  and  the  foundation 
of  the  liberal  policy  of  this  State  toward  education 
was  begun.  To  enable  the  Regents  to  distribute  the 
funds  intrusted  to  their  care  to  those  only  who  were 
entitled  to  them,  they  were  empowered  to  require  re- 
turns of  the  qualification  of  pupils  to  be  made  annu- 
ally to  their  secretary  under  oath  of  the  principal  or 
one  of  the  trustees  of  the  school.  In  the  year  1866 
a committee  of  the  Regents  reported  through  their 
chairman,  Lieutenant-Governor  Alvord,  that  so  long 
as  the  power  of  determining  the  qualifications  of  pu- 
pils entitled  to  share  in  this  distribution  was  intrusted 
to  the  principals  or  local  authorities , no  uniform  stand- 
ard of  scholarship  could  prevail,  and  scholars  would 
be  claimed  in  one  academy  whom  a higher  standard 
would  exclude  in  another. 

In  accordance  with  the  suggestions  of  this  valuable 
report,  in  1866,  a system  of  examinations  was  estab- 
lished by  means  of  printed  questions,  prepared  at  the 
office  of  the  Regents  and  used  at  all  the  schools  simul- 
taneously. To  make  a still  more  efficient  basis  for  dis- 
tribution since  1870,  the  answer  papers  of  the  pupils 
have  been  required  to  be  sent  to  the  office  of  the  Re- 
gents, where,  after  careful  review,  the  successful  candi- 
date is  awarded  a certificate  of  academic  scholarship, 
and  the  school  is  entitled  to  draw  a pro  rata  share 
-from  the  literature  fund  in  accordance  with  the  ordi- 


13 


nances  of  the  Regents.  This  system,  known  as  the 
preliminary  academic  examination,  has  become  so 
valuable  to  the  schools  as  a test  of  uniform  scholar- 
ship and  proficiency  on  the  part  of  the  teacher  as  well 
as  pupil,  that  its  real  purpose  as  a basis  of  distribu- 
tion of  State  money  has  become  of  secondary  impor- 
tance. 


Higher  Examinations. 

Section  6,  chapter  435  of  Laws  of  1877,  authorized 
the  Regents  to  establish  higher  examinations. 

The  first  part  of  the  section  is  mandatory  and  en- 
joins upon  the  regents  the  establishment  of  examina- 
tions in  the  academies  and  academic  departments  of 
union  schools,  that  will  furnish  a suitable  standard  of 
graduation  from  said  academies  and  academical  de- 
partments. The  second  part  of  the  section  is  per- 
missive and  authorizes  the  Regents  to  establish  ex- 
aminations and  to  confer  upon  successful  candidates 
such  degrees  as  the  Regents  may  deem  expedient. 

Under  this  statute,  as  enjoined  by  the  first  part  of 
section  6,  the  Regents  instituted  and  put  in  opera- 
tion at  once,  a system  of  examinations  in  the  acade- 
mies and  academical  departments  of  union  schools, 
making  a standard  suitable  for  graduation  therein. 

The  work  already  done  under  the  mandatory  obli- 
gation of  the  law  of  1877  has  been  very  great,  with 


the  preliminary  examination  far  exceeding  any  other 
department  of  work  the  Regents  perform,  and  its 
importance  to  the  cause  of  education  cannot  be 
easily  over  estimated. 

Under  its  stimulating  influence  the  advance  in  ed- 
ucational work  in  the  academies  has  been  marked. 
The  statistics  of  the  last  report  of  this  board  show 
that  there  are  under  the  charge  of  the  Regents  of  the 
University  283  academies  and  academic  departments 
of  union  schools,  and  of  these  134  have  been  visited 
by  the  Board  or  its  officers  during  the  past  year. 

This  report  shows  that  in  the  years  1884-85,  72,420 
answer-papers  on  the  40  different  subjects  of  the  pre- 
liminary and  advanced  examinations  were  received 
and  passed  upon  at  this  office.  This  is  no  perfunc- 
tory service.  Each  paper  is  critically  reviewed  with 
a conscientious  endeavor  to  determine  its  real  worth 
requiring  the  assistance  of  many  skillful  and  experi- 
enced persons.  The  total  number  of  papers  received 
in  the  years  1879-80  in  the  advanced  branches  alone 
was  7,515,  while  in  the  years  1884-85  it  was  34,276  or 
nearly  five  times  increased  in  as  many  years.  The 
methods  of  preparing  those  papers,  their  distribution, 
the  arrangement  and  examination  after  their  return 
from  the  academies  and  academical  departments, 
involving  an  immense  amount  of  labor  systematized 
and  accomplished  by  a carefully  organized  depart- 


15 


ment,  invite  the  examination  and  consideration  of 
every  lover  of  learning  in  the  State,  and  are  the 
pride  and  promise  of  the  University  of  the  State. 

In  1878  a committee  was  appointed  by  the  Regents 
to  devise  a plan  for  the  examinations  provided  for  in 
the  second  part  of  that  section  of  the  act.  The  com 
mittee,  of  which  Prof.  W.  D.  Wilson,  of  Cornell  Uni- 
versity, was  chairman,  reported  to  the  Regents  at 
their  annual  meeting  in  January,  1880,  a plan  which 
embraced  post-graduate  courses  of  study,  the  suc- 
cessful completion  of  which  would  entitle  the  candi- 
date to  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts,  or  Doctor  of 
Philosophy. 

This  plan  is  still  under  consideration  by  the  Board 
and  its  officers,  but  the  continued  and  astonishing 
growth  of  the  academic  examinations  has  precluded 
the  possibility  of  performing  so  important  a trust 
with  the  means  at  our  command,  and  the  Regents 
have  thus  far  been  unwilling  to  ask  the  requisite  ap- 
propriation. 

Teachers’  Classes. 

Another  great  work  promoted  and  carried  into 
successful  execution  by  the  Regents  of  the  University 
is  that  of  supplying  common  schools  with  competent 
teachers  trained  in  the  academies  under  our  charge, 
with  special  reference  to  the  duties  they  will  be  ex- 
pected to  perform. 


16 


In  1855,  the  Legislature  provided  for  an  annual 
appropriation  of  $30,006,  for  instruction  in  acade- 
mies and  union  schools,  of  classes  in  the  science  and 
practice  of  common  school  teaching. 

It  is  made  by  law  the  duty  of  the  Regents  to  des- 
ignate the  academies  and  union  schools  in  which  the 
instruction  shall  be  given,  and  they  are  carefully  dis- 
charging that  obligation. 

The  report  of  the  Regents  for  the  years  1884  and 
1885  shows  that  teachers’  classes  were  organized  in 
145  schools,  with  2,348  pupils.  The  classes  have  the 
benefit  of  an  instructor  and  inspector,  selected  and 
appointed  by  the  Regents,  who  has  special  quali- 
fications to  instruct  in  the  art  of  teaching,  the  best 
methods  of  imparting  knowledge  and  promoting  the 
best  interests  of  our  common  schools. 

The  work  is  very  well  done,  and  has  the  co-opera- 
tion of  the  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  and 
the  county  common  school  commissioners. 

If  the  number  of  teachers  annually  instructed,  be- 
tween two  and  three  thousand,  is  considered,  and  the 
fact  that  this  instruction  is  specific  and  systematic  in 
its  purpose  and  methods,  the  good  done  will  be  bet- 
ter appreciated. 

Testimonials  of  qualification  are  issued  to  those 
who  have  proven  their  ability  by  a faithful  appren- 
ticeship, and  the  results  have  shown  the  system  to 


17 


be  one  of  the  most  efficient  factors  in  the  State  edu- 
cational system. 

The  Growth  of  Colleges. 

The  one  hundred  years  that  have  elapsed  since  the 
establishment  of  the  university  have  been  signalized 
throughout  by  such  evidences  of  the  wisdom  and 
prudence  of  its  Regents  in  behalf  of  educational  ad- 
vancement, that  now  from  the  one  feeble  college 
placed  under  its  charge  when  incorporated,  the  sta- 
tistics of  colleges  in  the  Regents’  report  of  January 
last  show  that  there  were  subject  to  their  visitation 
during  the  year  1884-85,  45  institutions  with  785  in- 
structors, 11,702  students  and  1,571  graduates.  The 
total  value  of  college  property  was  $23, 164,602.83, 
and  the  yearly  expenditure  $1,787,391.5 1. 

The  same  report  shows  that  most  of  these  colleges 
were  visited  by  the  Regents  or  their  officers  during 
the  year. 

I may  also  add  that  during  the  past  year  several 
important  changes  in  the  administration  of  our  col- 
leges have  occurred,  and  many  magnificent  donations 
testify  to  the  continued  and  generous  devotion  of 
our  people  to  education.  The  presidency  of  Cornell 
University,  made  vacant  by  the  retirement  of  that 
ripe  scholar  and  earnest  worker,  Hon.  Andrew  D. 
White,  has  been  filled  by  the  election  of  Dr.  Charles 
K.  Adams,  of  Michigan  University.  The  university 


18 


has  after  prolonged  litigation  in  the  Surrogate’s  Court 
received  a favorable  decision  in  the  matter  of  the 
Fiske  will  by  which  it  was  granted  property  valued 
at  about  $1,500,000.  Vassar  College  has  conferred 
its  presidency  on  Dr.  James  M.  Taylor,  of  Providence. 
Union  College  has  acquired  possession  of  $20,000 
bequeathed  by  the  late  James  Brown,  Esq.,  of  New 
York  city  to  Mrs.  Nott  during  her  life-time  with  re- 
mainder to  the  college.  The  trustees  have  not  yet 
permanently  filled  the  presidency  of  the  college,  but 
the  interests  of  the  institution  are  ably  cared  for  by 
the  acting  president,  Judge  Landon.  We  have  to 
chronicle  a serious  loss  to  Hobart  College  in  the  de- 
struction by  fire  of  its  valuable  library,  but  through 
the  energy  of  President  Potter  and  the  friends  of 
Hobart,  provision  has  been  made  for  its  replacement 
and  for  further  additions  to  the  college.  The  Vander- 
bilt family  has  supplemented  the  princely  generosity 
of  their  father  by  a gift  of  $250,000  to  the  College 
of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  the  City  of  New  York. 
This  sum  is  intended  to  erect  and  maintain  a build- 
ing to  be  called  “the  Vanderbilt  Clinic.” 

The  faculty  of  Medicine  of  the  University  of  the 
City  of  New  York  have  received  through  Dr.  Loomis 
from  a donor,  whose  name  is  known  only  to  him,  the 
generous  sum  of  $100,000.  Plans  for  enlargement 
of  their  building  and  increased  facilities  have  already 
been  begun. 


19 


There  are  doubtless  many  other  items  worthy  of 
announcement  at  this  time,  but  I have  given  such  as 
have  come  to  my  notice  in  advance  of  the  receipt  of 
the  annual  reports  for  the  past  collegiate  year. 

The  University  Convocation. 

These  convocations  have  lasted  for  nearly  a quar- 
ter of  a century,  with  an  unbroken  record  and  an  in- 
creasing interest. 

I venture  to  say  that  no  more  useful  or  interesting 
record  of  any  educational  body,  certainly  in  this 
State,  if  in  any  other,  can  be  found.  These  con- 
vocations have  been  conducted  with  the  utmost 
care,  with  the  wisest  council,  and  the  most  careful 
selection  of  topics,  and  their  proceedings  are  sought 
for  everywhere,  by  teachers  and  scholars. 

Again,  read  the  record  of  the  proceedings  of 
those  convocations  and  I venture  to  say,  that  no  such 
collection  of  papers  upon  the  subject  of  higher  edu- 
cation can  be  found.  Their  record  is  our  just  pride, 
and  will  be  preserved  in  the  archives  of  the  State 
when  we  who  live  shall  have  been  forgotten.  Are 
we  to  consider  this  Convocation  of  the  University  a 
useless  appendage  when  there  were  present  at  our 
last  session  eight  college  Presidents,  and  thirty-two 
professors,  sixty-six  principals  of  schools  of  academic 
grade  and  twenty-four  instructors,  five  normal  school 
principals  and  eight  instructors  therein,  thirteen  su- 
perintendents or  commissioners,  and  thirty-one  others 


20 


interested  in  educational  work  — in  all  187  active  and 
distinguished  worker's  who  have  no  incentive  to  call 
them  here  but  their  earnest  desire  to  give  and  receive 
what  aid  they  can  toward  promoting  the  educational 
interests  of  the  State  ? 

Degrees. 

It  is  true  the  university  has  not  conferred  many 
degrees,  because  that  was  a concurrent  power  with 
the  colleges,  and  it  has  been  thought  wise  by  the 
Regents  to  leave  the  exercise  of  that  function 
mainly  to  the  colleges.  Should  we  be  able  to  estab- 
lish the  post-graduate  course,  to  which  I have  already 
made  reference,  then  the  university  will  hold  exami- 
tions  and  confer  degrees  without  in  any  way  en- 
croaching on  the  prerogatives  of  the  colleges. 

By  this  brief  statement  of  the  history  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  the  State  of  New  York,  I think  I have 
proved  in  its  past  and  present,  that  the  university  was 
legally  and  fairly  established  as  the  first  educational 
body  of  this  State,  and  the  duties  of  the  Regents, 
which  were  carefully  defined,  have  been  frequently 
increased  and  have  been  well  performed.  The  Uni- 
versity of  the  State  of  New  York  has  had  a real  exist- 
ence, has  done  active  work,  and  has  performed  all 
the  services  usually  belonging  to  universities  in  this 
or  any  other  country  during  the  period  of  its  exist- 


21 


ence.  The  corporate  name  of  the  board  is  not  a 
deception  and  should  not  mislead,  and  the  Board  of 
Regents  have  done  and  are  doing  too  valuable  a ser- 
vice in  the  cause  of  State  education  to  be  abolished 
or  consolidated  with  any  other  department. 

And  yet  his  Excellency  the  Governor  says  : 

“ I think  there  is  no  necessity  for  the  official  exis- 
tence of  the  Board  of  Regents.  Its  corporate  name 
is  deceptive  and  misleading.  Its  powers  and  duties 
can  be  intrusted  to  other  and  appropriate  hands 
without  detriment  to  the  public  interests,  thereby 
saving  to  the  State  the  annual  expense  of  its  main- 
tenance and  dispensing  with  the  anomaly  of  a two- 
headed  educational  system  and  the  confusion  of  a 
divided  and  sometimes  conflicting  superintendence  in 
the  same  public  schools.” 

There  is  no  two-headed  educational  system,  for 
each  system  is  entirely  distinct  in  plan  and  purpose, 
as  it  is  in  organization,  there  is  not  and  never  has 
been  any  confusion,  nor  has  there  been  any  conflict; 
on  the  contrary,  there  has  been  the  utmost  harmony. 

But,  gentlemen  of  the  convocation,  I am  not  here 
to  personally  defend  the  members  of  the  Board  of 
Regents : I have  given  you  something  of  their  work 
and  their  history.  They  began  when  the  State  began; 
they  have  grown  with  the  growth  of  the  Common- 
wealth. No  institution  of  the  State  has  been  more 


22 


stable  in  its  character,  more  carefully  confined  to  its 
legitimate  and  primitive  functions,  and  no  more 
honorable  list  of  names  can  be  found  than  these 
Regents  of  the  University,  who  have  performed  a 
gratuitous  and  most  valuable  service.  I point  to 
those  who  have  gone  before,  and  to  those  of  my 
present  associates  with  great  personal  pride.  For 
myself  I claim  nothing,  at  best  my  work  is  nearly 
done  ; it  has  been  a pleasant  and  dignified  and  most 
honorable  duty  ; it  has  given  me  delightful  com- 
panionship, and  some  good  opportunities  to  do  the 
State  some  service.  It  has  been  made  very  pleasant 
and  void  of  vexations,  because  the  board  has  no  pay, 
no  politics,  no  patronage.  I am  ready  to  retire,  but  I 
.pray  I may  never  see  so  pure  and  so  clean  an  insti- 
tution that  has  lived  a century  without  a fleck  or  a 
stain  now  thrown  into  the  dirty  water  of  party 
politics. 

Gentlemen  — I thank  you  for  your  patience.  I felt 
it  my  duty  to  be  thus  explicit.  I have  no  malice  ; no 
feeling  but  to  improve  this  opportunity  of  declaring 
my  sentiments  on  so  important  a subject,  as  it  may 
be  my  last  meeting  with  you.  I have  prepared  this 
paper  amid  much  suffering  and  weakness,  and  I feel 
that  I am  entitled  to  your  indulgence. 

Finally,  I cannot  close  my  remarks  in  anyway  so 
appropriately  as  by  quoting  from  a recently  pub- 


23 


lished  and  admirable  State  paper  by  Governor  Hill, 
in  which  he  says  : “All  change  is  not  reform.  U nless 
a change  is  based  upon  some  sound  principle,  and  is 
capable  of  some  practical  good  result,  it  ought  not  to 
be  entered  upon.” 


